Jump to content

Four Jets are proving that fun begins at 30


Smizzy

Recommended Posts

Four Jets are proving that fun begins at 30

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

BY DAVE HUTCHINSON

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- It had been hard for them to look him in the eye anymore, and he knew it. Their words rang hollow. They could no longer hide their doubt or concern.

In the summer of 2003, family and friends of Jets running back Curtis Martin thought the end was at hand. At 30, Martin stumbled at the start of the season but finished strong. That sprint at the end, however, didn't change the mind of those who felt Martin's career was over.

"Everybody said I was old and washed up, even my family thought that," Martin said recently at Hofstra. "They said, 'Well, man, maybe it's time to hang it up.' You know when people have that look on their face?"

That look usually comes in the NFL when a player reaches 30 years old. As the Jets enter Day 5 of training camp today at Hofstra, they have morphed into one of the youngest teams in the league. The average age of their projected starting lineup is 27.3 years old. Their locker room is more hip-hop than old school, more Jay-Z than Marvin Gaye.

Only 11 of the 86 players on the training camp roster are 30 or older.

While general manager Terry Bradway has pushed to infuse the team with youth after keeping some beloved veterans a year too long three seasons ago, he insists his magic number isn't 30.

"There are some players who defy age 30, and there are other players who when they hit that age or get a little bit older, they have a tendency to drop off a little bit," Bradway said. "But you look at a guy like Curtis Martin and he keeps getting better. He almost looks faster to me."

Here's a look at four of the Jets' 30-something players.

CURTIS MARTIN

Martin, entering his 11th NFL season, is trying to improve on perfection.

Last season, with the buzzards circling around his career, Martin became the oldest player in NFL history to win the rushing title when he rushed for a career-high 1,697 yards.

"It's something that I have to say is one of the most gratifying things in my career," he said.

Now, Martin, who ranks fourth on the all-time rushing list with 13,366 yards, says he's prepared for an encore performance this season.

"I'm not going to lower my standards," he said. "I'm a guy who never expects to go backwards. We'll see what happens."

This off-season, Martin, 32, returned to Santa Monica, Calif., to take on the famous Santa Monica steps, a 200-step incline up the side of a mountain. Every off-season he does something to improve, and this off-season he wanted to work on his speed because though he won the rushing title, he gained the dubious distinction of becoming the first player in history to rush for 1,500 yards without a run longer than 25 yards.

"Before, I would run and then walk, run and then walk," he said. "This time I did more of a power workout. I ran full speed. ... My body feels good. I don't know what it is."

Martin, who along with Barry Sanders are the only backs to rush for more than 1,000 in each of their first 10 seasons, knows the end is near. But he says he's enjoying the ride more than ever now.

"I'm really just starting to dig football," he said. "In the past, football was always just a vehicle for me to impact people's lives. That's where it gained it's meaning. Now I feel as though I have the desire to actually want to do it. I don't know how strong that desire was in previous years."

KEVIN MAWAE

Mawae, entering his 12th season, snapped the ball, exploded into nose tackle James Reed and then sprinted around the right end to make a second block on middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

Bam! Martin read Mawae's block and was off and running. Mawae celebrated like a rookie trying to make the team.

"It's just like (Bill) Parcells used to say," Mawae said. "The young guys must prove he belongs in the league. The middle players must prove they're capable of staying. And the older players must prove they still have it."

Off the field, Mawae is an executive vice president with the NFL Players Association. He realizes that life after 30 in the NFL is a tenuous thing, but he feels the union has addressed it. There is minimum pay for veterans and a player performance pool.

The NFL doesn't have guaranteed contracts, which leaves veterans vulnerable to being salary cap victims, but Mawae points out that unlike the other major sports, there has been labor peace the past 15 years and players have very good benefits.

"We have a good give-and-take with the NFL Management Council," Mawae said. "We get something. We give something back."

Mawae, 34, has been to six consecutive Pro Bowls and is widely regarded as the best center in the NFL, even at his age.

"Sundays are incredible," Mawae said. "I live for it. I know there's going to come a time when I can't do it anymore and hopefully I'll realize that.

"... but when you're 34 in the NFL, you don't feel like you're 34. I have friends who are 32 years old and vice presidents of companies and I feel like they're so much older than I am. I'm surrounded by 22-year-olds and they help you stay young."

RAY MICKENS

Around this time last summer, Mickens, 32, tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and missed the entire season. It may have been the best thing to ever happen to him.

"I think it was a blessing in many ways," said Mickens, a 10th-year pro. "It made me realize how much I miss the game. It gave me some time for other injuries to heal. I had tendinitis in places that was allowed to heal.

"Now, I have to battle back from the (knee) injury. But all in all, I feel good."

Only the good cornerbacks last as long as Mickens, who has survived despite his diminutive size (5-8, 180 pounds). Pigeonholed as a nickel back despite being good enough to play every down, he has longed to start and may get that opportunity this season if the Jets don't sign Ty Law.

"It's not about me, it's about getting a great player when he's available," said Mickens, who is in the final year of his career.

With his size -- and now his age, Mickens realizes he's wearing a bull's-eye. But he welcomes the challenge of covering the Randy Mosses and Marvin Harrisons of the world.

"You want as many of those challenges as you can get before you finish," he said. "Once I'm done, I can say I went toe-to-toe with those guys. You relish those matchups even more now."

JAY FIEDLER

After a journeyman existence, Fiedler, now playing with his sixth NFL team, appeared to have found a home with the Dolphins. Then, running back Ricky Williams retired just before last season as Miami bombed (4-12) and Fiedler took the fall. He was released despite having a 37-23 record as a starter in Miami.

"I wish Ricky all the best," said Fiedler, refusing to take a shot at Williams. "I hope to see him come back and enjoy the game the way he did when he was playing."

At 33, Fiedler, a Long Island native, has been reborn with the Jets. He's happy. He's home. And he's playing for a winner. At this stage of his career, he feels he has the perfect job as a backup to Chad Pennington.

"It's always good to get a change of scenery, to refresh yourself, renew your excitement for the game again," Fiedler said. "Last year was a frustrating year for me with the season we had plus the injury (herniated cervical disk) that put me on injured reserve for the first time in my career.

"Now, to come back home and get a fresh start and be around an enthusiastic bunch of guys from the coach to the players, it really brings that life back to the game for me. ... I'm one of the veterans, but physically I feel great. When you talk about a quarterback, age 30 is when a lot of guys get into their prime."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think people will truly realize how important Curtis Martin and Kevin Mawae have been to this franchise, until they are gone.

I know we get into heated arguments about Martin (and believe me Savage69, their is a huge silent contingency that agrees with you), and the coaching staffs partiality to him, but in the end, him and Mawae are the only two players on the current roster that are on their way to the HOF.

I gotta laugh when people talk about how easy it is to replace guys like this. You take these two guys off this team right now, and the 2005 season is deep sixed. Of course, they aren't going anywhere- yet. But one day they will be gone, and when that day comes, I don't care who else is on this team, or who the coach is, it will be a losing season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...